SAN DIEGO — As angry fans gathered outside to say goodbye to the franchise they’ve loved for decades, Chargers chairman Dean Spanos announced to his employees that the team is moving to Los Angeles, where it will join the recently relocated Rams to give the nation’s second-largest media market two NFL teams for the first time since 1994.

The move had been in the works for years, as a long, bitter saga failed to result in a new stadium to replace aging Qualcomm Stadium.

Still, the final blow was hard for some fans to take. While they supported the team itself, many are angry at Spanos for his scorched-earth tactics the last two years.

As Spanos was driven to the airport to fly to Los Angeles to meet with civic officials, fan Chuck Homenick got close to the SUV and yelled an obscenity.

“Pretty horrible. Born and raised here in San Diego and been going to these games, and just can’t believe they’re leaving,” Homenick said. “I knew the decision was coming up soon and I was hoping they were going to stay. Business decision, but when it comes to fan support and loyalty, they’re not going to have much support, fans.”

Joseph MacRae held a sign that read, “Alex Spanos would never leave SD! You failed us Dean.” Chargers owner Alex Spanos turned over control to son Dean years ago.

“It’s really a dark day in San Diego sports history,” said MacRae, 30, who wore a Chargers jacket. He said he’d been going to Chargers games since he was 7. “That’s what it was all about, September through December, football on Sundays.”

The Chargers are leaving behind a loyal fan base that cheered for Dan Fouts, Charlie Joiner and Kellen Winslow during the Air Coryell years in the 1970s and early 1980s; for Junior Seau, Stan Humphries and Natrone Means on the Chargers’ only Super Bowl team in 1994; and in recent seasons, Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates.

The Chargers’ decision to move comes less than three months after San Diego voters resoundingly rejected team-sponsored Measure C asking for $1.15 billion in increased hotel occupancy taxes to help fund a $1.8 billion downtown stadium and convention center.

Here is a look at some of the other reactions to the news:

“People, obviously they’re shocked. They’re disappointed; in disbelief is another word that I probably would use. And rightfully so. I think most San Diego fans, they felt like this would never happen; it couldn’t happen. Fifty-five, 56 years in San Diego, they never probably could imagine that the Chargers would ever leave. That’s all that they have known. It’s generations of football that people have grown up buying season tickets in San Diego. So to say disbelief, it might not even be a strong enough word to say what they’re feeling right now.” – LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers running back 2001-09

“I just didn’t think that San Diego would ever lose the Chargers. You know how teams posture and cities posture, but you figure everything will be worked out.” – Pro Football Hall of Famer and San Diego native Marcus Allen

“S/O to the loyal fans willing to make this move with us. Thank you for the best year of my life.” – Chargers rookie defensive lineman Joey Bosa on Twitter

“In sports, teams win and individuals lose. The Chargers were ultimately never willing to work with us as a team so we could achieve shared success. Dean Spanos made a bad decision, and he will regret it. San Diego didn’t lose the Chargers. The Chargers just lost San Diego.” – San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer

“Heartbroken for San Diego and the (hash)Chargers fans. San Diego will always be Americas finest city.” – former Chargers running back Jacob Hester on Twitter

“The Chargers will make our NFL tradition even richer, and give sports fans everywhere one more reason to be in Los Angeles. I congratulate Dean Spanos and the entire Chargers organization, and look forward to the extraordinary contributions they will make to our entire region.” – Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti

“We have a lot of great memories but, when it comes to the public treasury, there are limits to what you’re willing to do to keep something like this here. – San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts

“I think the Spanos family has done everything they possibly could to get a stadium built there, worked with the community. It just didn’t work out. It’s got to be a tough day for them. They’ve been great to that community. And it’s got to be a tough day for the fans of the Chargers and the citizens of San Diego.” – Broncos President Joe Ellis.

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